14 APRIL 2016, ADAMA | The Ethiopian Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) with the technical and financial support of the WHO Country Office in Ethiopia conducts a three days intensive training of trainers on Early Warning, Alert and Response System (EWARS).The training targets regional health bureau staffs that are responsible for cascading the training to the technicians in their respective regions.  This EWARS training is of paramount importance to effectively and efficiently expedite the health response to the current El Niño induced humanitarian crisis. 

Washington DC, 13 April 2016 - Every US$ 1 invested in scaling up treatment for depression and anxiety leads to a return of US$ 4 in better health and ability to work, according to a new WHO-led study which estimates, for the first time, both the health and economic benefits of investing in treatment of the most common forms of mental illness globally.

The World Health Organization Regional Office for African (WHO AFRO) wishes to warmly congratulate Dr Zabulon Yoti who is the Afro recipient of the inaugural global WHO Rewards System launched in December 2015 by WHO Director-General, Dr Margaret Chan, to celebrate excellence amongst staff.

Moyale town and surrounding kebeles (a kebele is the smallest unit of local government and can best be regarded as a municipality, a neighbourhood, a localized and delimited group of people or ward) have been affected with Acute Watery Diarrhea (AWD) since 7 November, 2015.  The Town is the capital of both Moyale-Oromia and Moyale-Somali Woredas (or districts) and they share a border with Kenya. The town has very high population traffic from different regions, without any restriction to movement.

04 APRIL 2016, HAWASSA | The Southern Nations Nationalities and Peoples (SNNPR) regional Health Bureau in Ethiopia continues to receive technical as well as logistics support from the World Health Organization (WHO).  Recently, in its continued support to strengthen the region’s effort in the prevention and control of Acute Watery Diarrhea (AWD), the WHO provided 1 DDK Basic Module + Support module + ORS module + Infusions Module worth USD 10,000.00   

Chegutu, 7 April 2016 - The call was made during the commemoration of World Health Day which was held at Pfupajena Stadium in Chegutu, Mashonaland West Province. Zimbabwe today joined the rest of the world in commemorating World Health Day under the theme Diabetes is preventable: Empower individuals, families and communities.

Seychelles joined the rest of the world in commemorating World Health Day under the theme “Beat Diabetes” in a series of activities throughout the week. The activities were organised by the Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the World Health Organisation and other key partners including various other ministries and agencies.

Belaynesh Yimer is a 14-year-old girl and seventh grader, in Tenta kebele (district) of Enebssie Sarmidir Woreda of Amhara state. She wants to be a doctor and heal patients. One day, she could not stop scratching herself and her body was aching. She could not sleep, study, write and eat properly. She could not hold a pen due to the sores on her hand. Consequently, she missed several days of school.  

Juba, 11 April 2016 - In an effort to accelerate the elimination of HAT as a public health problem, the Ministry of Health and WHO committed to reinforce and coordinate actions towards harmonizing control strategies, elimination, and sustained surveillance  process of HAT.

Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT), also known as sleeping sickness, is a parasitic disease that is fatal if left untreated. The disease is transmitted by the tsetse fly and is endemic to Sub Saharan Africa, where it mainly affects impoverished rural communities.

In 2015, more than 1 million people in 7 high-risk countries received the oral cholera vaccine, thanks to campaigns run by WHO and partners. This extraordinary measure was taken to contain several cholera outbreaks from spreading further.